User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 3:30:33 PM EDT
[#1]
The thread directly above this one?
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 4:35:20 PM EDT
[#2]
I could not find the link
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 4:37:05 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I could not find the link Tacked thread at the top. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 4:40:21 PM EDT
[#4]
Think they require sprinkler systems in some areas. I know they do in Mammoth Lakes, CA
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 4:45:00 PM EDT
[#5]
House fires scare the shit out of me.
The best thing to do is minimize your risk of fire and have good insurance that covers ALL your stuff. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 4:45:25 PM EDT
[#6]
2 years ago we had one. The electric stove shorted out, not in use at the time, and half the house was gutted. Took 4 months to rebuild it. Had the entire place re wired at the same time. It sucked. Insurance company was great.
We came home on a Sunday afternoon, found the house full of smoke. I was able to get in, grab a fire extinguisher, put out the flames in the kitchen before the fire department arrived. Get smoke detectors installed, fire extinguishers located around the house, Especially the kitchen and at the entrances. Flashlights stashed and ready in every room, for escape at night. We have a gas stove now, all new appliances too. +1 on the Insurance |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 4:45:54 PM EDT
[#7]
Quoted:
So who here had a house fire? If so what caused it and how badly did it burn and damage everything. It seems like a worry I think about a lot and I want to know if it should be a huge concern. I have 4 comerical grade fire extinguishers around the house because a fire scares me. What can I do to minimize the risk? Never leave your house. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 4:48:00 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
2 years ago we had one. The electric stove shorted out, not in use at the time, and half the house was gutted. Took 4 months to rebuild it. Had the entire place re wired at the same time. It sucked. Insurance company was great. We came home on a Sunday afternoon, found the house full of smoke. I was able to get in, grab a fire extinguisher, put out the flames in the kitchen before the fire department arrived. Get smoke detectors installed, fire extinguishers located around the house, Especially the kitchen and at the entrances. Flashlights stashed and ready in every room, for escape at night. We have a gas stove now, all new appliances too. +1 on the Insurance How exactly did the stove cause it? |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 4:53:07 PM EDT
[#9]
From a firefighter:
Keep your stuff in good repair. (grounded outlets, cords in good shape, get electrical problems fixed correctly, etc) Don't do stupid stuff with fire/electricity. (smoke in bed, huge fire in back yard next to house, cook while drunk, etc) This covers most of the common causes of house fires that you have control over. Extinguishers are good to have. At least in the kitchen. Make sure you have them serviced or replaced at least every few years. Most residential grade extinguishers are cheaper to just replace. Make sure you have the correct number of smoke detectors, and that you replace the batteries at least yearly. There are some new ones that have 10-year batteries or something like that. Smoke detectors do have a shelf life. Generally 7-10 years. Once one starts acting weird, its probably just a good idea to replace them all. They only malfunction at 2 am when you are trying to sleep. Residential sprinkler systems are coming into fashion. Most model codes have them required for residences over a certain number of square feet (5000 in my AO). Some places have stricter codes. There has been a push to require them for all new residential construction, but home builders associations don't like that. Supposedly they only add a small cost to a new house build. Their sole purpose is life safety. They will get everything wet! (at least around the area where the head pops) |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 4:53:56 PM EDT
[#10]
Quoted: I have 4 comerical grade fire extinguishers around the house because a fire scares me. What can I do to minimize the risk? More extinguishers? Sprinklers, smoke detectors, monitored fire alarm, keep the house clean inside(hoarders are screwed, but keep stuff away from things that get hot and make sure any flammable chemicals are stored properly) and out(especially in areas prone to wildfire, but applies to everyone) and make sure electrical is up to code, if you contact your local FD I'm sure they would love to help you out with ideas. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 4:54:10 PM EDT
[#11]
Smoke detectors, proper wiring, and properly installed sheetrock will mitigate most of the damage.
Sprinkler systems are nice, but they can exchange the fire damage for water damage. It's not a perfect solution. Eliminate the causes of fire and you beat most house fires. Upgrade your wiring. Have your chimney cleaned. Blow out the lint vent on your dryer. Maintain your furnace and water heater. If you really want to spend some money, upgrade your interior doors to solid wood. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 4:57:18 PM EDT
[#12]
Last night. Fuck. Not a house fire, but it caused some serious adrenaline dumpage.
Went out with wife, kid, and SIL. Left an empty house. Pulled in the driveway and my dog is going apeshit. The living room windows were open so we could hear him barking like crazy as I was pulling up to the garage. Then I heard another sound- Beeeeep Beeeep Beeep. FUCK! Thats the smoke alarm! I run to the front door and I can now hear that ALL of the smoke alarms were going off. I unlock the front door, run in, and left the door open so the dag could run out. Smoke. Lots of smoke. At that point I had two thoughts. 1.) Im a complete fucking moron for not having a fire extinguisher. and 2.) How am I going to find all the cats? Then it hit me. The smoke didn't smell like wood or garbage, it smelled like oil. Kitchen. And sure as shit, the SIL left a pan of bacon grease on a burner she didn't turn off. She felt terrible, and I felt relieved. So that was that. Spent the rest of last night airing out the house. And the bacon was for a batch of potato soup she was making in the crock pot. It was pretty good. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 5:01:59 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Last night. Fuck. Not a house fire, but it caused some serious adrenaline dumpage. Went out with wife, kid, and SIL. Left an empty house. Pulled in the driveway and my dog is going apeshit. The living room windows were open so we could hear him barking like crazy as I was pulling up to the garage. Then I heard another sound- Beeeeep Beeeep Beeep. FUCK! Thats the smoke alarm! I run to the front door and I can now hear that ALL of the smoke alarms were going off. I unlock the front door, run in, and left the door open so the dag could run out. Smoke. Lots of smoke. At that point I had two thoughts. 1.) Im a complete fucking moron for not having a fire extinguisher. and 2.) How am I going to find all the cats? Then it hit me. The smoke didn't smell like wood or garbage, it smelled like oil. Kitchen. And sure as shit, the SIL left a pan of bacon grease on a burner she didn't turn off. She felt terrible, and I felt relieved. So that was that. Spent the rest of last night airing out the house. And the bacon was for a batch of potato soup she was making in the crock pot. It was pretty good. Damn I am glad everything is ok. That would freak me out so bad |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 5:04:16 PM EDT
[#14]
When I was 8 years old the gas water heater exploded and burnt the entire attic out of our house.
Neighbors managed to carry almost everything out of the house while it was burning, so water damage was minimal. The attic had to be rebuilt, and most of the wall and floor coverings replaced. While the work was being done, we lived in a mobile home placed next to the house. The night after we moved back in the house, the mobile home was blown away in a storm. THAT was a big damn mess. 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 5:08:44 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Damn I am glad everything is ok. That would freak me out so bad Thanks. And another thing I just thought about today. My neighbors on one side just moved. Their house is currently empty. And my other neighbor was out for the night. If either one of them were home I'd probably be looking at replacing at least a door jam right now. 
So I lucked out twice yesterday. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 5:11:33 PM EDT
[#16]
I'm a former claims adjuster and I know there are some other current and former ones on here.
In addition to the stuff mentioned, I'd add clean your dryer vents. I worked a couple of fires resulting from the dryer lint buildup. Christmas lights were another one. Don't get crazy stringing nine million strings into one outlet. Make sure everyone knows you don't throw water on a grease fire. Like the firefighter said, don't do stupid things (like cooking drunk) and you knock your risk down considerably. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 5:15:16 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Smoke detectors, proper wiring, and properly installed sheetrock will mitigate most of the damage. Sprinkler systems are nice, but they can exchange the fire damage for water damage. It's not a perfect solution. Eliminate the causes of fire and you beat most house fires. Upgrade your wiring. Have your chimney cleaned. Blow out the lint vent on your dryer. Maintain your furnace and water heater. If you really want to spend some money, upgrade your interior doors to solid wood. The door thing is true. Even if the fire was confined to the kitchen, most of the soft items (upholstered furniture and clothes) were a loss because of the smoke damage. Just keeping doors shut to prevent smoke damage in other areas of the house is a good tip. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 5:16:52 PM EDT
[#18]
Smoke detectors, CO detectors, escape ladders, and fire extinguishers.
Short of a full sprinkler system these are the tools every house should have to keep the occupants safe from fire and CO related hazards. The most recent house fire I worked, it was determined that a plugged in (but switch was off) curling iron had shorted and caused the fire. I guess it was a China special and was known to have issues with the switch. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 5:17:28 PM EDT
[#19]
I've never given it to much thought on how a structure fire started when we roll up to it... But I gather a lot of them are electrical related.... I know we've had food on the stove related and smoking cigs or cigars...
I'm paranoid as fuck at home... constantly stay on the wife's ass about aromatic candles, leaving curling irons on and plugged in, etc... I've got smoke detectors everywhere and ABC & Water can extinguishers............ |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 5:23:15 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'm a former claims adjuster and I know there are some other current and former ones on here. In addition to the stuff mentioned, I'd add clean your dryer vents. I worked a couple of fires resulting from the dryer lint buildup. Christmas lights were another one. Don't get crazy stringing nine million strings into one outlet. Make sure everyone knows you don't throw water on a grease fire. Like the firefighter said, don't do stupid things (like cooking drunk) and you knock your risk down considerably. Stupid things!
We had a dude about 9 years ago.. Wanted to kill himself, drunk off his ass... turned the stove on (Propane powered, not a camping stove but one connected to a big ass DOT-51 sized cylinder outside your home)... House filled up with gas.. he passed out drunk.. woke up the next morning and lit a cig...
Mission accomplished! He died in-route to the hospital via an ATU! First arriving unit on-scene reported a fully involved double wide with one patient in the front yard. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 5:24:20 PM EDT
[#21]
Quoted:
So who here had a house fire? If so what caused it and how badly did it burn and damage everything. It seems like a worry I think about a lot and I want to know if it should be a huge concern. I have 4 comerical grade fire extinguishers around the house because a fire scares me. What can I do to minimize the risk? Aside from 'careless' type fires (stove, candles, flammables, etc) electrical will be one of the leading causes. Don't overload outlets, use switched power-strips that you can turn off when not in use, make sure your breakers are correct and functioning (switch to AFCIs), etc, etc. Buy extra smoke detectors for when you're home, install a remote monitoring system for when your out (Nest or others). I assume you mean 'industrial' as opposed to 'commercial' fire extinguisher.....? What I recommend is at least one 2.5gal water extinguisher, and at least one 20# dry-chem per floor, as well as another pair at the garage entrance. Don't even mess with the ones sold at HD, Lowes, etc, while better than nothing serve more as a false sense of security. The 2.5gal water extinguisher (or 'can' in the fire service) is sadly overlooked by homeowners, especially when they can knock down an involved room quickly and buy a lot of time. We use them for quick attack during hasty-search, to prevent flashovers, check extension, etc, they work better than even many FFs believe. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QH9LWNW1lc |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 6:54:57 PM EDT
[#22]
sprinkler system
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 7:00:47 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: How exactly did the stove cause it? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: 2 years ago we had one. The electric stove shorted out, not in use at the time, and half the house was gutted. Took 4 months to rebuild it. Had the entire place re wired at the same time. It sucked. Insurance company was great. We came home on a Sunday afternoon, found the house full of smoke. I was able to get in, grab a fire extinguisher, put out the flames in the kitchen before the fire department arrived. Get smoke detectors installed, fire extinguishers located around the house, Especially the kitchen and at the entrances. Flashlights stashed and ready in every room, for escape at night. We have a gas stove now, all new appliances too. +1 on the Insurance How exactly did the stove cause it? I know there were 2 other fires in a 20 mile radius that started the same way. The stove manufacturer fought the other two claims and dragged them out for a long time until the homeowners capitulated just to get their homes repaired and move back in. My Insurance company said get it fixed, we won't even try to fight them. They're too big, too many Lawyers and it will keep us out of our home until it is settled. Could have been a overvoltage issue caused by the power companies frequent transformer upgrades in the area elatedly also. Ask your power company how many Volts they are sending into your home. They probably will not tell you. bet it's more that 110-120v |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/30/2015 11:33:45 PM EDT
[#24]
I'm a firefighter in a busy municipal department. I have seen fires in houses started in almost every conceivable way. The answer in which you seek is.....residential sprinklers.
They work, they are affordable, can be installed by a plumber(possibly yourself if you have skills) and will lower your home owners insurance. Certainly better than letting a fire get started in your home, then letting us come and spray 200 gallons a minute for a while and then chop up your house with hooks and axe then squirt more water. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 12:27:11 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Certainly better than letting a fire get started in your home, then letting us come and spray 200 gallons a minute for a while and then chop up your house with hooks and axe then squirt more water.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 12:35:47 PM EDT
[#26]
I had redone a row house and changed out all the electrical in my unit but the guy adjoining me had aluminum wiring.
The fire spread through the wall and into the ceilings rapidly. It was a total loss as was everything in the building. I had "insurance". But I didn't know a lot about how that worked. Ultimately it wasn't enough to recoup anything or even pay for the demolition of the dwelling which I was on the hook for with the city. Make sure you have REPLACEMENT coverage on your home. Keep receipts and pictures, video tape etc of ALL property, furniture, guns, etc in the house. I use a binder for furnishing and things of value and update it every year. Anything you own will be depreciated so make sure you keep a consistent record of the condition and items in your home and keep it in a safety deposit box. Keep a copy in a fireproof box or bug out bag at home as well. Also guns, art, jewelry, instruments, antiques, tools... all the things that would be "catastrophic" and impossible to replace needs to have a special rider put on your insurance. I lost a 200 year old hand carved German Cello in the fire and it took me 8 years to replace it out of pocket. The one I have is not the same quality as the one I lost. Also I think it is really important to mention this. LOSING EVERYTHING make me take stock of what really does matter in this world. No one was hurt or killed. The only thing you truly need and own in this lousy world is your faith, the good you do for others, your education, and good name. Nothing else. That was a huge loss but the only thing I really missed was a place to lay my head, my tooth brush, and a blanket. Funny how little you really need. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 12:43:37 PM EDT
[#27]
We had a house fire last November. I had a big thread about it here. This forum helped me out a ton and was able to provide a Christmas for my kids
We were home. I was getting ready for work and wife and youngest were napping. By the time I smelled smoke and looked in the back of the house near the garage where it started it was almost fully engulfed. Ran upstairs to get her and the baby up and got them outside. Ran back inside to get my dogs, cut my hand pretty bad in the process. Everyone got out safe so that's what mattered House was ruled about 75% total loss and we lost three vehicles. Cause was officially ruled "undetermined accidental" but they were leaning towards electrical which is really scary because you don't really know what caused it. We are just finishing getting our place rebuilt now and I intend to make a thread documenting my experiences. It has been the most stressful period of my life for sure, by far. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 1:19:07 PM EDT
[#28]
i've worked 2 'fires' where the water heater either exploded or had a gas leak... 1 basically blew the back 1/2 of the house into the back fence in the back yard. homeowners were on vacation, otherwise there would have been serious injuries.
the other burned up the entire house where just structural framing was left (3rd fire for them, second in the same basic cause...the fire department was suspicious..to say the least), about 10% of the contents were salvageable... the 2 small safes and fireproof boxes were waterlogged and we cut them open with a sawzall to remove the contents for restoration. The firearms within were pitted and rusting after 12 hours of exposure to the water the FD used to put out the fire. I don't know whatever happened with the rest of the firearms, all had some sort of damage to them. worked another where the fire started with the car in the garage, '11 or '12 camaro i believe. burned the back half of the house off, couldn't tell there was ever a car in the garage it burned so thoroughly.. another where original electrical wires in the attic insulation shorted and smoldered for a while... everything was salvageable but had soot odor that we took care of.. another where the aerial electrical service to the home melted shorted the hot to the neutral.. started a good fire in the detached garage, 20% salvageable, the house itself was fine, although the insurance company, FD and energy company required all the electrical be checked and all the devices plugged-in had to be left in place and inspected by the electrical company before being removed for additional inspection. homeowners reported seeing lightning fly around the rooms when it happened, then noticed the smell of smoke and discovered the garage was on fire. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 1:23:05 PM EDT
[#29]
Extinguishers are great if you're around and it's small. But monitored detection starts the fire department out fast and evacuated your loved ones. The best thing you can do is keep your doors shut. You can contain fire even behind a hollow core door for a lot longer than you thing. Containing fire to one area along with monitored detection is your best bet.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 1:24:04 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
sprinkler system Flooded or burned. Hmm.... |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 1:24:27 PM EDT
[#31]
And don't buy cheap Chinese electronics. I just worked a house fire last week caused by a cheap Chinese cell phone charger.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 1:38:03 PM EDT
[#32]
About 25 or so years ago when I was a freshman in HS we had a house fire. Living room and kitchen were burnt to pretty much nothing. Rest of the house was heavily damaged by smoke, heat and water. House was a total loss. Still run across some random item that was in the house. Still has that smell to it. I can always tell when there has been a house fire in the area. Unmistakable smell to me, different from other fires. Ours was arson. Not real sure how you prevent that. Just make sure you have good insurance I suppose.
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 1:43:06 PM EDT
[#33]
What about ammo stashes - will insurance cover that?
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 1:45:38 PM EDT
[#34]
1995
Burned completely to the ground. Lost 17 guns including 2 family heirlooms. Nothing was salvaged except for my mother's iron skillet, and my great grandpa's broadaxe head. 
No investigation on the cause, no insurance. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 1:47:27 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
1995 Burned completely to the ground. Lost 17 guns including 2 family heirlooms. Nothing was salvaged except for my mother's iron skillet, and my great grandpa's broadaxe head.
No investigation on the cause, no insurance. This I don't believe unless if the fire was very obvious (eg a Forrest fire consuming a home). Arson, hate crime, attempted murder, intimidation, or liability are some items of reason why there would be an investigation. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 1:50:15 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
What about ammo stashes - will insurance cover that? Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile insurance typically do not cover much guns or ammunition unless if the guns are added in as a rider. most if not all insurance companies will not cover ammunition, you'd have to take money that you got from your property damage and hope it's enough to cover the other uninsured losses like ammo. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 1:52:44 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
What about ammo stashes - will insurance cover that? Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Possibly, double check your policy to see if there's any limitations on firearms and accessories. I would also document what you've got on-hand, rather than just come up with an arbitrary number.. (like 5 boxes of .22lr bulk valued at $10,000,000.00.. i believe the $10,000,000, but i don't believe the 5 boxes.. nobody has 5 boxes of bulk  )
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 1:53:35 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
insurance typically do not cover much guns or ammunition unless if the guns are added in as a rider. most if not all insurance companies will not cover ammunition, you'd have to take money that you got from your property damage and hope it's enough to cover the other uninsured losses like ammo. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
What about ammo stashes - will insurance cover that? insurance typically do not cover much guns or ammunition unless if the guns are added in as a rider. most if not all insurance companies will not cover ammunition, you'd have to take money that you got from your property damage and hope it's enough to cover the other uninsured losses like ammo. Thanks. I'm a renter so I just have my renters insurance. State Farm covers up to $2k of firearms without a rider. I'm under that. ETA: does ammo need to be stored in a special way? I've got all pistol ammo, in original paperboard boxes, in a plastic storage tub or plastic ammo cans. All in a closet nowhere near natural gas furnace or hot water heater. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 1:54:36 PM EDT
[#39]
get good insurance.. In case of house fire get you your wife and your kids out.. be thankful you are all alive and have insurance.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 1:55:42 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
When I was 8 years old the gas water heater exploded and burnt the entire attic out of our house. Neighbors managed to carry almost everything out of the house while it was burning, so water damage was minimal. The attic had to be rebuilt, and most of the wall and floor coverings replaced. While the work was being done, we lived in a mobile home placed next to the house. The night after we moved back in the house, the mobile home was blown away in a storm. THAT was a big damn mess.
Wow.. god apparently hated you and your family. glad you are ok |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 1:59:21 PM EDT
[#41]
Good homeowner's insurance that covers well enough of the dwelling, personal property and a separate rider for guns, jewelry, and other unique items.
Good coverage for loss of use and a 360* video recording of each room uploaded to the cloud. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 2:00:42 PM EDT
[#42]
Went through an apartment fire - started 3 apartments from mine - burnt through 1 firewall, but ran down the eve and blew in through the windows on the the other and on mine. It was started by a stupid worthless female leaving candles lit, and her cat knocking one over.
Because it entered via the eve, and my ceiling was wood. It burned a good portion of the ceiling, and destroyed my loft completely. It did not make it downstairs (even though I had an open valuted ceiling - but came down the valut low enough to cause smoke and heat damage to a lot of stuff (like melting the wheels off my bicycle). It was not a 100% loss (even though nothing downstairs actually burned), but probably 50% downstairs due to smoke and heat. I came home from work and saw the ambulance about 2 blocks away blocking my drive way - I parked, saw smoke, and started running. Turning the corner I saw 50 flames coming out of my bedroom (upstairs). And imediately started asking neighbors if they had seen my girlfriend (who lived with me). It took about 15 minutes to find she was safe. Nobody was injured in the fire. That was the main thing. Reporters interviews my neighbor - he told them people just lost everything they had, and to get the fuck out of here. I did not really like him - and that was probably acting (he was one of the least sincere people I ever met), but it did score some points --- maxed out the offsite storage of my parents insurance as I was technically still living at home while I attended college. Got renters insurance after that. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 2:04:30 PM EDT
[#43]
The 3 most common causes of fires in the home are men, women and children.
Meaning to say, someone did something careless to cause the fire. Having said that, smoke detectors on every floor, inside and outside each bedroom. Change the batteries once a year (although newer smoke detectors may have 10 year batteries - so check) and change the smoke detectors every 10 years. The radiation half life that actually "detects" the smoke will be diminished after 10 years and the detector is no good any longer. Fire extinguishers on every floor, in a readily accessible and visible area. No putting it in a drawer, closet, behind stuff under the sink. 5 pound extinguishers, minimum, ABC Dry chemical to cover all kinds of fires (A= ordinary combustibles, B= flammable liquids, and C= charged electrical equipment). REPLACE the fire extinguishers per the manufacturer's recommendation. It might be every five years or so. The extinguishing agent (powder) inside gets compressed by the gas that is used to expel the powder and it becomes caked up and may not discharge if it is too old. Sleep with the bedroom doors closed (that's why you need a smoke detector on the inside of bedrooms as well as outside, in case a fire starts in the bedroom. Be very, very careful with extension cords. Never run them underneath rugs. In fact, avoid using them at all, if possible. That's just off the top of my head, I'll come back and add to the list later as I think of stuff. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 2:07:11 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Smoke detectors, proper wiring, and properly installed sheetrock will mitigate most of the damage. Sprinkler systems are nice, but they can exchange the fire damage for water damage. It's not a perfect solution. Eliminate the causes of fire and you beat most house fires. Upgrade your wiring. Have your chimney cleaned. Blow out the lint vent on your dryer. Maintain your furnace and water heater. If you really want to spend some money, upgrade your interior doors to solid wood. You can always dry something out, but you can never un-burn it. Accidental activation of sprinklers are so rare they are statistically zero. The amount of water put sprinklers use to control a fire are a fraction of the water used by the fire department. I could go on all day about the benefits of fire sprinklers. Bottom line: they are the absolute BEST way to keep your family and property safe from the ravages of fire. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 2:09:37 PM EDT
[#45]
I'm a 20 year firefighter. Smoke and CO detectors are what save lives. They are cheap and easy insurance. I have two smoke detectors in my homes bedrooms.
If you can do it, sprinkler systems would put firemen out of business. They work that well. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 2:10:03 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Flooded or burned. Hmm.... Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
sprinkler system Flooded or burned. Hmm.... No one has EVER died from drowning in a fire from the sprinkler system water. I've seen PLENTY of people die from smoke and flames though. Hmm... |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 2:10:57 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Thanks. I'm a renter so I just have my renters insurance. State Farm covers up to $2k of firearms without a rider. I'm under that. ETA: does ammo need to be stored in a special way? I've got all pistol ammo, in original paperboard boxes, in a plastic storage tub or plastic ammo cans. All in a closet nowhere near natural gas furnace or hot water heater. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
What about ammo stashes - will insurance cover that? insurance typically do not cover much guns or ammunition unless if the guns are added in as a rider. most if not all insurance companies will not cover ammunition, you'd have to take money that you got from your property damage and hope it's enough to cover the other uninsured losses like ammo. Thanks. I'm a renter so I just have my renters insurance. State Farm covers up to $2k of firearms without a rider. I'm under that. ETA: does ammo need to be stored in a special way? I've got all pistol ammo, in original paperboard boxes, in a plastic storage tub or plastic ammo cans. All in a closet nowhere near natural gas furnace or hot water heater. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile you can put it in a container if you like, but if it cooks off it's low enough velocity that turnout gear would prevent any injuries. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 2:11:29 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I've never given it to much thought on how a structure fire started when we roll up to it... But I gather a lot of them are electrical related.... I know we've had food on the stove related and smoking cigs or cigars... I'm paranoid as fuck at home... constantly stay on the wife's ass about aromatic candles, leaving curling irons on and plugged in, etc... I've got smoke detectors everywhere and ABC & Water can extinguishers............ Are you a firefighter? And you have never given much thought to how each one starts? We do cause and origin on every single fire. If we can't figure it out we call an investigator. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 2:12:08 PM EDT
[#49]
2 in 2 out.
Double tap. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/31/2015 2:13:01 PM EDT
[#50]
I had a fire in one room, the wiring in the light fixture in the ceiling shorted and sparked, started a fire. Fortunately I was there when it started. I saw light flickering inside (it's one of those frosted glass half-dome things up against the ceiling) and saw yellow/orange flickering, I realized it was on fire inside. I used a crow bar to rip down the light fixture, when I did that flames started coming down out of the hole. I shot the fire extinguisher up into the hole and put out the flames. When the fire department got here some of the tiles were still smouldering so they had to rip those down. Not too much damage since I got to it quickly. They told me it's a good thing I got it quickly because attic fires spread fast.
|
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
